Thursday, 30 October 2014

Can you beat a little cute penguin on a Christmas card? This one is part of the Artic Fun set from DigiStamp Boutique and the text is the current freebie image. The card follows the current Sketch Saturday layout.

Monday, 27 October 2014

It has been a while since I did an art journal page. Clare's second PaperArtsy GDT project this semester inspired me to get into it again.
I started with some junk cardboard- the backing board of a paper pack I have used up. Onto this I painted gesso and then acrylic paints to make the background. Next I stamped Clare' PA stamps in black ink. I also stamped one of the sentiments onto white paper for the text. This was cut out and stuck down.

There are so many things in life that we come away from thinking 'I wish I had said...' (or the opposite- 'I wish I hadn't said ...').
OK, so after putting up with my attempt at the 29 faces in September you were probably hoping I wouldn't *ever* draw another- lol! But I was tempted. Not sure she is my best :-( Eyes a bit too larger perhaps?
Anyway, she was coloured with Promarkers and then detailed with pencil crayons.
The little embellishments are made from shrink plastic (Clare's PA stamps and the coloured with Promarkers). I added a gem to the flowers to finish them off.
While I had the shrink plastic and heat gun out I decided to have another go at earrings (see Saturday's post for my 1st attempt). These ones turned out better I think.

Sunday, 26 October 2014

It has been a while since I used a Bobbi image from DigiStamp Boutique. Keep seeing them and thinking they mist be printed off again. Then was inspired to do so this week by one of the DSB DT (plus I wanted to make a baby card for an ex-college and this is perfect for it I think).

Saturday, 25 October 2014

I had such an amazing time yesterday when I met up with Clare. She suggested a few weeks ago how about trying some altered match boxes as neither of us had done them before. I did a little Pinterest searching but in the end I think we just went wherever our creativity took us at the moment which included getting out what must be almost every item of Clare's stash, including the sewing machine- sorry Clare!
I went for two small boxes (standard size for a box of matches you buy from the shops) while Clare opted for the larger size.
Box 1: For this I used a match box Clare had and went for the 'flap' type opening rather than 'draw'.

Was attracted to these clown images and the sentiment ;-)

Box 2: (probably my favourite out of the two) is a traditional 'match box' with draw made using a template.

If you have never done altered match boxes before I would DEFINITELY recommend them :-)

Friday, 24 October 2014

Taking a break from Christmas cards (I need some birthday ones at the moment too) I made this card using this weeks Retro Sketches layout. The card is very much inspired by one of the DT projects and I am very happy with the way it turned out- you know that feeling (that rarely happens) when it kind of clicks?)

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

This is my second project inspired by Clare's recent GDT posts for PaperArtsy. I think I have taken the colour scheme from the first project (grey and black) and used it on the third... didn't want to do an exact copy!
Anyway, this gift box was super easy to make with Clare's PaperArtsy stamps. I first stamped and heat embossed in clear the squares onto white card. Next I randomly 'stamped' ink pads of different colours over the sheet. I had hoped the white would show though more from the heat embossing but it doesn't unless you are close up.
The final bit before assembling was to stamp and heat emboss again- this time in silver. Some of the embossing powder stuck to the ink that I used to colour the box even though I had dried it. Never mind, I think it adds to the effect- lol!
I stuck the box together, added some blue embroidery threads to the top and attached some fimo buttons as a finishing touch. All I need now is to buy the present to go in it ;-)

Monday, 20 October 2014

The DigiStamp Boutique DT have all been playing a lot with the Artic Fun stamp set recently and so I had to buy it and give it a go. This is the first card that I have made and I decided to go for a bit of an unusual colour combo. Quite pleased with the way it turned out though :-)

Sunday, 19 October 2014

These cards were inspired by Clare's recent GDT project on the PaperArtsy blog last week. Of course I had to get my Clare Llyod stamps out this weekend and give it a go.
I started by painting red acrylic mixed with white gesso onto white card. (I decided to make a batch and so went for a master board concept and then cut panels out for each card.) Next came some stamping in slate and then I stencilled red acrylic on top. I didn't have a proper stencil but used one I made in the summer for the 'Me Time Messages' project from an ice cream box lid ;-)
The next layer was stamping in black and then finally in silver. (Actually at this point I thought it looked a bit too blank and so added the text as another layer of stamping in black.)
The decorated card was cut up and assembled on the red card blanks (I stamped round the edge of these and wiped black ink round the edge of the painted panels). The hearts were stamped on red card and heat embossed. The final touch was some faux stitching in white pen.

For two of the cards I added the 'broken earrings' I mentioned on yesterday's post (waste not want not ;-)).

Saturday, 18 October 2014

I saw this project on the PaperArtsy blog last week and was inspired to give it a go last weekend. I find using shrink plastic difficult- it is one of those things that I see why other people do, get inspired and then when I try I realise why I rarely use it! Saturday was another of those days :-(
I did try to make 2 pairs of earrings but the second pair broke: lesson one my stamps were too small, especially the place where I put the hole and ring in on the second pair.
Lesson two : use Staz on to stamp with and not anything else- I stamped with Memento ink first for this pair and it all came off with handling (trying to get the jump ring through the little hole I punched.
Lesson three: Glitter glue doesn't shrink up! I was trying to add some sparkle like Wanda Hentges but don't have the same media. Thought I would use glitter glue instead, but it bubbled up and stuck to the worktop (oops) when heated... (obvious, but I didn't think it through!).
Anyway, as a first attempt these are the pair which survived:

Not perfect, but I think I will wear them in December, none-the-less. I don't give up on these things though and so I do intend to have another go at making some more earrings at some point (having bought the fixings etc now, I may as well!)

Friday, 17 October 2014

I have held out so far by sticking to my self pledge of not making a Halloween card this year but then I thought I do have someone I can send one to and so let myself make one ;-) (OK excuse!). This card uses a Pollycraft Swings and Slides image and follows the current RetroSketches layout. I will enter it into the current Little Miss Muffet challenge (anything goes).

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Taking a break from Christmas cards. Think I have made too many for a while! I am inspired by all the Halloween/monster projects and images which are around at the moment and wanted to use this little one from DigiStamp Boutique again.

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

A fair few birthdays coming up and so making cards for them. This is a cheeky image from DigiStamp Boutique which can be used time and again (love colouring the birds in outrageous colours ;-)). Tried to go for a male look with this card.

Sunday, 12 October 2014

I bought the Winter Duchesss set from DigiStamp Boutique last weekend and this is the first card that I made with it:

Isn't Duchess so cute? I love cats. Super ear muffs for the snowman too- must try and buy some of them this winter. Been years since I have had any.
The card follows the current Mojo Monday layout and I will enter it into this months Stamplorations challenge- stamps and embossing.

Saturday, 11 October 2014

... something different. OK I started to make this cutie months and months ago. He has been on several train trips with me (the intention being to do a little crochet on the train never happens as I usually opt for a nap instead ;-)) but non-the-less I actually sat down and finished him at home the other day.

I am pleased with the way he has turned out. Got the wool bug back a little. Maybe it is the longer nights and colder weather?

If only there were more hours in the day then I would be making more little animals. Think this winter, with working I might not get to do as much knitting/crochet as I would like. (Probably did too much last winter though so at least there is a balance (somewhere)!)

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

I'm hoping making this card that my friend got good news the other day and has found a new job. In which case this is a good luck card for him. The image is a fairly old one from DigiStamp Boutique which has timeless appeal. I have followed the current Sketch Saturday layout on this card.

I will enter the card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge- favourite colour combo- blue/black/white.

Monday, 6 October 2014

Got a thing for making Christmas cards at the moment. Will probably end up with too many cards by the time December comes... never mind. I love a lot of the Christmas images which are available and so end up making more.
This one uses a new Bert image from DigiStamp Boutique and I have followed this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday layout.

Sunday, 5 October 2014

I am trying to resist making Halloween cards this year as I never send them but some of the images which are released are just *too* tempting. So I thought I would treat myself to making an ATC using last months freebie from DigiStamp Boutique. I think this little ghost is just far too cute to spook though :-)

Thursday, 2 October 2014

I was over-the-moon to when Sally-Ann from DigiStamp Boutique released some Christmas images using her cheeky monkey character :-) This is the first card I made (there will probably be many more by Christmas!)

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

The current Little Miss Muffet challenge is 'make it mini'. I am quite a fan of 'mini'. Thought it would be the perfect chance to make another Christmas tag. This time I have used a Bugaboo image. Another 'easy' project- two spare die cuts (one embossed), some washi tape, punched hole and ribbons/threads, 3 gems and an image- hey presto!

Nicola set this months Rudolph challenge on CMLI and the theme was 'take it easy'- open to interpret anyway you want. I tend to like to spend time on cards- not too much of a quick and easy person (lol). Tags on the other hand, I prefer the quick ones- they tend to go straight in the bin and so I don't like wasting my time on making them! I haven't made any tags so far this year and so thought I would make a start.
These were super quick to make. I used some small kraft luggage tags I bought a while ago and decorated using Clare's Nordic range of PaperArtsy stamps.